Milestone
by Lyrium eidolon
Summary: Fuka Academy is going hiking, and Takumi is partnered with the blue-haired beauty of the school. Unbeknownst to him, there's a lot more to be learned than just how far he can move up the trail...


**Disclaimer:** The following is a non-profit fan-based piece of fiction. _Mai Hime_ is owned by Sunrise.

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><p><span>Chapter 1:<span> The Partner.

I felt a mixed rush of anxiety and excitement at the event that just occurred; Fuka Academy's Junior High and High-Schoolers were going on a hike. I never really knew what it was like; previously I was always off sick due to my heart, but now that the problem was out of the way, I wasn't sure what to feel. I looked forward to my first major outdoor experience now that I can actually participate without my chest going into spasm, but at the same time, some of that fear was still there.

We were waiting in the gym to see who we would be paired with. All of the High-schoolers got a partner from Junior High selected in a random lottery. I personally hoped to be paired with Onee-chan; we haven't had much of a chance to catch up since I got back from America. Or even maybe Aoi-san; she seemed really happy to have me back. Yuuichi-san could also work; he was quite active in the kendo team again.

"Tokiha Mai," Sakomizu-sensei called out, with Onee-chan standing up from her spot on the floor. Ishigami-sensei dipped his hand in a ballot box and pulled out a slip of paper. "You will be paired with Minagi Mikoto," he spoke up.

"Yaay! I'm with Mai!" the black-haired Mikoto yelled as she leapt from her spot and pounced on Onee-chan. The two, as required, were to stand by the edge of the gym in a line next to each other.

"Tate Yuuichi," Sakomizu-sensei called. Ishigami-sensei pulled out another slip and announced that Yuuichi-san was paired with Akira-kun. I could immediately see her scowling out of the corner of my eye, and Yuuichi's friend Shiho-san was also fuming with rage.

Harada Chie got placed with Shiho-san, who still was raging how she and Yuuich-san got separated. Eventually, two other people had to haul her off to where the rest of the students were gathered.

"Kurauchi Kazuya," was the next person called, and his partner turned out to be Yuuki Nao-san. As she got up, I couldn't help but feel some weakness in my legs and an urge to try and hide or run. I don't think I will ever forget the way she stood over me in that hospital bed, brandishing those red claws and almost getting away with... I don't even know what she was going to do to me. As much as I try not to remember that, it is still difficult when she sees me and flashes a wink and a grin in my direction.

"Kuga Natsuki" came after Kazuya-san. Again, Ishigami-sensei's hand dived in and withdrew a slip of paper.

"You'll be paired with...:" he began, "Mr Tokiha Takumi."

Me? My partner for this hike was going to be her? I didn't know what to think; we hardly ever spoke, and I was only told stories of how she tried to help save me during the night I died. I trued pushing myself up off the ground, but my leg slipped and I fell back down. Thankfully, Akira-kun helped me back up, and I started weaving my way through the crowd towards the blue-haired girl waiting in the line.

"Good luck getting her feelings!" Yuuki-san hissed in my direction, causing my hair to stand on end. Why did she always have to do that? First she ambushes me in my hospital bed to abduct or kill me, then she keeps acting as if nothing happened? Nowadays I try not to look at her; it only brings back those painful memories.

I could swear right then I heard a slap, and Yuuki-san asking what the big deal was. Standing next to Kuga-san... I didn't know what to make of it... I did want to talk to her a bit more as well... and all of Onee-chan's circle of friends... but the attack on me in the hospital changed everything. I didn't know who I could trust... the only people I did feel I could trust were those who were friendly with me beforehand... but the rest, especially the girls, made me want to put some distance between me and them in case one of them wanted to try and kill me.

Akira-kun used much the same strategy of avoidance when we first met, and it seemed to work very well for her. Admittedly, during the course of my time residing with her before the hospital incident, she did see a few people like Onee-chan, Aoi-san and the others, she never risked being too friendly with everyone... the opposite of me, always trying to see the best in people.

Looking back, I cannot help but think after the hospital incident that I was being dangerously naive. This feeling of insecurity increased after I received a note detailing exactly who was involved in the attack then: Sister Sanada Yukariko, being goaded by Ishigami-sensei; giving me another reason to be wary of my elders. But I found that Mikoto-san was also looking to kill me that night, but yet she couldn't remember anything. Then I read the part of the note detailing my actual murderer: Shiho-san, who to this day just seems to try and sweep the whole thing under the rug.

Maybe I shouldn't dwell on this, but once people you trusted stab you in the back like this, your ability to trust people suffers a major blow. Other than the people I were already close with, I didn't know how I was going to trust people again.

The only thing I felt that I could really look forward to was finally participating in one of these hikes. With my heart the way it was beforehand, any kind of intense physical exercise was dangerous. I was always at constant risk of collapsing. But now, with this new heart, I wanted to go out and experience this feeling. When you're stuck at home with a weak heart, you grow envious of the things you are unable to do.

This hike was the first experience I could look forward to. My partner, on the other hand... I don't know. She is friends with Onee-chan, but so are all the people who tried to harm me that night, and I still can't bring myself to forget about that terrible night, no matter how hard I try. It always keeps coming back.

Can I trust her? Can I allow myself to remain in her presence without fear of attempted murder or victimization?


End file.
